BYU football: Cougars in talks to play Oklahoma in Dallas in 2009

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Updated: 12:19 PM- PROVO - Brigham Young University football coach Bronco Mendenhall acknowledged on his Mountain West Conference football teleconference today that the Cougars have been involved in discussions that could pit them against the Oklahoma Sooners next fall in a game at the new stadium being built in Dallas.

The Tribune reported earlier today that discussions are ongoing with ESPN representatives to play the game next September at the future home of the Dallas Cowboys.

"I know that we have been and are being considered for some early games next year, and that was one of them," Mendenhall said. "There was a chance that it could be against Oklahoma. But there were a list of teams for us to play, or we might have been just one of the teams being considered to play."

A source said the topic was brought up for the second time in two weeks during an ESPN conference call on Monday. It is not clear whether the potential game would be televised by ESPN or ABC.

A BYU source acknowledged in a text message that BYU is interested and checking it out but may have to rearrange its existing schedule.

"It is still premature, and I don't think anything has been solidified," Mendenhall said. "But what I can tell you is we were being considered, and what has happened from there, I am not certain of that, but I can verify the consideration part of it."

BYU has an opening on its 2009 schedule, and had been in discussions to play Tulane at the Louisiana Superdome in the 2009 season opener. But a contract for that game still has not been signed, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said last month

It is not clear whether those talks will be scrapped if the BYU-Oklahoma game is agreed upon.

"I can't say definitively that [Tulane] game is still on or off at this point, nor the other one. So, it is kind of a unique situation with me and I wish I could be more definititve, but right now I don't know," Mendenhall said.

BYU played Oklahoma in 1994, and beat the Sooners 31-6 in the Copper Bowl in Arizona.